If you think you've been seeing more Ford Explorer Interceptor police units on the road lately (or perhaps pulling you over for speeding), then you'd be right. It's not your imagination. Ever since the death of the police favorite Ford Crown Victoria, police departments across the US have been searching for a suitable successor. While Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge each offer new sedan alternatives, police across the US seem to have a thing for the Explorer.

A new report coming from USA Today claims America's law enforcement agencies "have decided they need the space of an SUV, possibly because in a post 9/11 world, there's a lot more equipment to carry." To back this up, Ford stated that half of its police orders are now for the Explorer Interceptor. Recognizing this popularity, Ford will also offer that SUV (or is it really a CUV?) with the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 that's good for 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. This is the same engine offered in the Taurus SHO. So beware from now on: that Explorer Interceptor driving behind you is one wicked fast cop car.